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I was hoping someone might be able to tell me if I choose the Comfort seats does this include the Lumbar support which is a selectable separate option. The latest catalogue says "Comfort seats for driver and front passenger incl. active headrests and multiple electrical adjustment. The upper backrest, backrest width, thigh support and headrest height can all be individually configured. Lumbar support and memory function for driver and front passenger are also included."

It's the line "Lumbar support....are also included" that I'm most interested in as when I went to the dealer and we were configuring the car he said they had to tick the lumbar support as well as the comfort seats, so I end up paying for comfort seats and lumbar support.
Both the Australian and US brochures say the same thing. Has anyone come across this before?

I'm also looking at a tow bar and se that there is a electronic foldaway towbar, but the dealer said there was not one available yet the brochure suggests there is. has anyone had one of these fitted to an Australian 5 series?

The same was said for the side and rear electronic sun shades. Has anyone had these fitted?

We can't configure 530d GTs in the US but when I use the online configurator, there is not a separate Lumbar option. I have the Multicontour seats and they have lumbar support as per the popup description. THe order guide I have from May 2013 does not list lumbar as a separate option either. There may be a later guide but I haven't seen it posted anywhere to check. Of course there *may* be country differences with BMWOZ so maybe someone else in OZ can weigh in.

I have the "Side and Rear" shades. They were a separate option on the build sheet. But I don't know if they were factory installed or port installed. FYI, there was no rear shade on my Oct 2013 built GT 535i.

There are differences in what BMW makes available in a country-by-country basis...IOW, what may be available in one place may not be available others. For instance, in the USA, the GT is not configured for towing...you cannot get a factory option towing package, even though it is available many other places (nor can you get the GT with any diesel options, only gasoline powered). Towing package on this vehicle could be quite expensive to retrofit, as it requires a bigger cooling fan (might be standard in your country) and a bunch of other bits. If you DID have the towing prep, the OEM harness would just plug in (BTW, I have one given to me, but cannot use it!).

I also have the rear sun screens - they were installed at the factory. BMW also sells an add-on set that either clip on or use suction cups, but they are not powered like the factory installed ones that go into the door.

If you wanted a towing package AND your car is not fitted with the towing prep in the wiring and BMW Australia doesn't offer towing on the vehicle, there are still options. If towing isn't offered there, then the dealers will not be able to program the vehicle to take the OEM or most aftermarket wiring harnesses. If you want all of the OEM functionality when towing (disable the rear PDC, enable the trailer stability control, modify the rear-view camera display), then the only choice I found was to get a trailer interface from www.rightconnections.co.uk . I have one along with a hitch from www.invisihitch.com. They may be available in your country. SHipping, otherwise would be fairly expensive, as it is fairly heavy. The thing bolts on, and while it is not powered, you can remove the ball, and unless you're laying on the ground, you'd never know it had a hitch installed.

There are some aftermarket harness kits that can work on the CANBUS of the vehicle, but they are passive, listen only, and do not activate the vehicle's trailer functions, only enable the lights to work on the trailer.